was D.H.Laawrence's first major novel.His only major novel,some would say.I have finished reading it during the winter holiday.For I am not quite sure that I understand the novel enough to depict the complicated relationship between Paul and his possesive mother,so I would like to pay attention mainly to the Part One of the novel in this review,especially "the battle between husband and wife ".
At the first glance of the book,we find Mr.Morel a coal miner in turn-over-the-century Britain,lives a life of drudgery ,anger and desperation.He takes his frustrations out on his wife Gertrude.But with a deeper look into the internal subtleties of marital relationship.We can see it is both the husband and wife who are suffering and it is the vast differences in the social backgrounds divide them.
Walter and Gertrude encountered in a local dance. Let's discuss the social background of the two involved first.
English: A Marriage or Husband and Wife tree.
Gertrude Lawrence
Wife And HusbandGertrude grew up in a steady lower-middle-class family with a strong work ethic and pride in its self-sufficiency. She inherited most of his father's rigid moral and religious beliefs though she also has her mother's gentle,humerous streak. As a practising Congregationalists of her day,she disapproves of dancing,frivolity and drink,which Walter is a man of action rather than words.They were both attracted by each other's difference at their first meet.Gertrude was fascinated by Walter who seemed as a mysterious stranger from another planet to her,rough and vigorous.He,in turn,arouses a passion in her----a woman with class ,culture and education.They married and shared a brief happy union.Then follows the ever-lasting battle.
The first dispute between them was when Gertrude found that they did not own their house. To her puritanical mind,the debt is not only shameful but sinful. In her eyes,it is a Christian...